Groundblind vs ladder stand

[Coopsdaddy]

Ladder stand for sure

 

[Erussell01]

Under that concern. Make sure you put lifelines go on every permanent set, whether it be a lock-on or a ladder stand. She’ll never leave the ground not hooked up.


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I definitely have to do that. I am so so bad at that for myself. Good advice man thanks

 

[Erussell01]

Ladder stands. Even on a no-deer day it's nice to sit and watch the day start or end from an elevated seat.

A ground blind is solitary confinement with a picture of the outdoors on the wall. I started one of my adult daughters in a blind. She hated it. Every squirrel, armadillo, ground bird and possum, all behind the blind, sound like a deer. Of course the deer come in silent.

I will concede the bad weather days for those who can tolerate a blind but I'm still in the tree.

If you have 25 acres you should set up a stand and a 3D target or two for safety and shooting practice.

I hunt a working farm where the best cover scent is diesel fuel. I'm guessing your deer know your scent.

They sure love the smell and sound of the tractor. When I'm working in the field they come out to party in droves. They also love when we have a bonfire. They come hit the clover plot up by the house while we get to hang out by the fire and enjoy the show. I'm sure come season they'll change but it's been so fun to see them so much. Good call on the ladder stand for practice. I'll hang one in the back yard trees close to the house for sure! Thanks

 

[Erussell01]

Sounds like consensus is ladder stands. We do have one box blind for her to rifle hunt with a heater and insulated floor and walls. It's tucked in at the far edge of the field plots so it doesn't spook too many deer. I just planted some cedars around it to hide access.

Anybody got a good recommendation for ladder stands? I have 2, and one is definitely quieter than the other. Neither is great but the one is a creaky bastard. I'll work on replacing my old old chain type hang ons with ladders at any of the locations she will hunt. I have one ladder with an accompanying hang on at a good spot we have permission on up the road and it's the spot she watches me shoot the first deer she saw shot so I'm sure she will enjoy that spot too

 

[FarleyMcJohnson]

Get one with a flip up seat and the floor goes all the way back to the tree. I spend most of my time with the seat flipped up and I'm leaning up against the tree.

 

[8grenade]

Depends where you are hunting and the situation.

 

[8grenade]

I have tried ground blinds but the wind swirls around to much,tree stands are exciting you can see and here more, watching them come in can be tough controlling your nerves.

 

[Rich M]

25 acres - you might get 3 hunts otherwise, trying to not disturb the deer that sit there and watch you work in the garden.

You can't fool em, so lull em into complacency. Be there enough so you are not seen as a threat.

I hunted a 45 acre lease and had 3 or 4 hunts with sightings over the course of the season. Saw some bucks and then the switch flipped and saw nothing. If I had lived there, I'da walked the periphery daily all the time and thru interior trails often enough that my scent wouldn't bother them.

 

[EdP]

I use both and it is handy to have the option of using the weather protection the ground blind provides. One of my ground blinds is a box blind I built that stays out permanently and overlooks my food plot. It has windows on 3 sides. Nothing can approach from one side so that window is blocked off. I have noticed that if I have the front and other side window open, my scent is carried out to the food plot so its front window open only. Being a box blind I can open the side window if I need to. That is not really an option with a mobile blind.

I enjoy the hunting experience much more in a ladder stand just being out where I can observe nature. The down side is all the hassle of the fall protection harness, extra clothing, lift/drop lines, etc.

 

[AHorst]

Rivers edge lockdown and tree stands. The lockdowns are spendy but they are the most secure ladder stand I've been in. Plus they work good to rifle/shotgun hunt out of with the movable shooting rest.

 

[Mtns2hunt]

I hunt tree stands both lock on and ladder. I also use ground blinds. I like the Ameristep two person blind. It's great in the rain and especially in the colder months. I generally do not hunt food plots but when I have them I like to stay back and hunt the trails leading to the plot and not the plot. That way you don't burn it out so quick. I also do not generally hunt a ground blind but every other day but if hunting a thicket edge will hunt it everyday.

I air my blinds out at home and place in large leaf bags. I drop off my blinds at strategic spots clear an area to tuck them far enough back under the canopy and do not put them up until just before the hunt. Once I have them up I leave them up until I decide to move. I normally have three blinds out. This also allows me to dive in one if it rains.

Always watch your wind I prefer a crosswind. Hope this gives you some room for thought.

 

[JC_68Westy]

I like to be in a stand when bow hunting. I tried a ground blind a few times with a bow and wasn't comfortable drawing in the blind. It also seemed like deer would look right at me when in the ground blind. I like a ground blind with rile at much longer distance than bow.

 

[Yoder]

My wife started hunting last year. We hunt mobile and I set her up in a lock on stand with tree steps. I showed her how to use two lineman belts to climb so she is always attached to the tree. We practiced a bunch in the back yard climbing and also shooting out of the stand. She has no problems. If your wife is reasonably athletic and isn't afraid of heights, don't underestimate her ability. I would have her try out the stand and see what she thinks. If it's too much, get some ground blinds. I think tree stands are a huge advantage. Especially if you set one up and hunt it the same day.

 

[FLHunter87]

If your in a field or overlooking I'd go blind. It's all personal preference. I prefer hunting out of a blind for a few reasons. If weather comes your covered(imagine it starting to pour rain or just rain in general). It's more comfortable as far as room. And if you take a kid hunting, the blind definitely helps hide movement. Lastly, I was more turned on to blinds because setting up a treestand alone wasn't ideal for me. Way easier to pop open and close a blind and then mobility is easy easier.

 

[bigeyedfish]

We have about the same amount of property at our house. I haven't hunted out of a treestand in three or four years, and we only set up a ground blind when the kids want to join in the fun. I had a couple friends with immediate family members get paralyzed or killed in treestand falls, and I always had that on my mind when I was in a stand. Hunting from the ground has been more difficult for sure, but one of the reasons I moved to this house was the ability to hunt anytime I wanted, so I can get plenty of opportunities even if it's a little tougher to seal the deal.

All that said, I would like to set up a couple two man ladder stands just to have the option. Whether it's true or not, they have always felt safer to me than lock ons.

 

[mi650]

I've never gun hunted from a treestand, should give a try one of these years. I've rarely bowhunted from the ground, never killed a deer that way either. And I guess I'm kind of an anomaly, having much better luck with a bow/crossbow than guns, about 5-1. So from that perspective, I'd say use a treestand, ladder stand more specifically. I have a 2 man stand for the extra room.

I've always built my own blinds, but I broke down and bought one a few years ago after going out to the woods and finding this.

This one lasted me 5 years I think, it's predecessor made it 13-14 years. The blind I bought is coming up on it's 3rd season, has been mouse & wasp proof, and still looks like new.

 

[Scottf270]

Just started using pop up blinds the last year or two. Has not replaced tree stands but has added another tool to use. The wife just got a doe the other day using a blind.

As I get older, climbing up becomes more risky and protection from the weather is nice. I will use both options.

 

[MallardSX2]

I cant stand a ground blind. Buts thats just me.

 

[SloppyJ]

I think everyone prefers the visibility of a stand. If your wife is just getting into it, I think it'd be wise to set up a blind or two so you can go with her. It will help her from getting picked off by movement and is just easier overall to approach as a new hunter. Similar reasons as to why I bought my first one last year to hunt with my son.

Every time we sat in it, we were able to get a deer. If the weather is bad it really helps as you can run a buddy heater in there too. I say get one to get her into it and then branch out to some more ladder or hang ons.

 

[CMF]

Much prefer a stand, I only like the blind to hide my kids that can't keep still or like someone mentioned when the weather is crap...